Child&#39;s merry-go-round



Jan. 15, 1957 E. J. MALONE 2,777,691

CHILD'S MERRY-GO-RQUND File Ma c 6, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ELROY J. MALONE CHILDS IVERRY-GO-ROUND Elroy J. Malone, Memphis, Tenn.

Application March 16, 1955, Serial No. 494,657

11 Claims. (Cl. 27233) This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in childrens swings.

More particularly it relates to improvements in swings of the merry-go-round or rotary type, which are propelled by one or more of the occupants of the swings.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a new and improved merry-go-round for children of simple and sturdy construction, which has individual swings depending from rotary overhead beams, and which may be propelled by one or more of the passengers.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved pawl and ratchet mechanism used as a means for rotating a device of this type.

A further object of the invention is to provide a merry go-round with a pivotable floor board in each of the individual swings, whereby the passenger by rocking the floor board with foot pressure may actuate the pawl and ratchet mechanism to rotate the merry-go-round; and

A further object of the invention is generally to improve the design, construction and efficiency of roundabout devices.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects of the present invention are accomplished and the manner of their accomplishment will be readily understood from the following specification upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a merry-go-round swing embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in section on an enlarged scale taken as on the line 11-11 of Figs. 1 and 4.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view with the dome cover cut away for purposes of illustration.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional top plan view taken as on the line IV-IV of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view on a similar scale with the dome partially cut away, and illustrating a position of the moving parts during operation.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view on a further enlarged scale taken as on the line VIVI of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of one of the occupant seats showing the arrangement of the cable and floor board.

Fig. 8 is an inverted plan view of the seat shown in Fig. 7.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals, the shaft 11, preferably cylindrical, rests upon the ground or other supporting surface, and is supported in a vertical position, preferably by four upwardly diverging braces 13, which are rigidly attached to the shaft 11 as by screws 14 inserted through apertures in their upper ends and are adapted to be secured to the ground by means of posts 15 driven through apertures in their lower ends into the ground. A pointed stud 17 is preferably formed integrally with the lower end of the shaft 11. Said stud is of a smaller diameter than the shaft 11 and forms an extension of said shaft which pierces the ground and steadies the shaft. A circular supporting plate 19 having a horizontally disposed upper face is nited Patent rigidly attached to shaft 11 adjacent the upper end as by threading, with the center of the supporting plate being threaded to receive the complementary threading of the shaft 11. The plate 1& has an annular groove 21 in its upper face in which are rotatably mounted a plurality of roller bearings 23. Each roller bearing 23 is rotatably mounted on a spindle 24 interposed between the vertical faces of annular groove 21. A rotatable race plate 25 rests upon bearings 23. Said race plate is journalled on the upper portion of the shaft 11 by means of ball bearing ring 27, thereby allowing race plate 25 to rotate freely about stationary shaft 11 while being supported and rid ing on roller bearings 23.

Rigidly attached, preferably by welding, to race plate 25 are supporting beams 29, preferably four in number, which extend horizontally and radially from said race plate at equal angular spacings and provide the support from which chair-like swings .31 are suspended. In support of beams 29 are upwardly diverging beam braces 33, each of which is disconnectedly attached as at one end 34- to the underside of beams 29 as by bolts 35 at the other end 36 to collar 37, preferably as by welding. The inner surface of collar 37 is provided with an annular groove which is adapted to receive vertically disposed roller bearings 39, thereby allowing journally the collar 37 on shaft 11 to rotate freely about the shaft 11. Each roller bearing 39 is rotatably mounted on a suitable spindle interposed between the horizontal faces of the annular groove in collar 37. The collar 37 may rest upon a bearing ring 41 which is supported by a shoulder 42 in shaft 11, there by reducing the friction from the downward thrust of collar 37.

Radially extending tie rods 43 for added support of each of beams 29 are rigidly and detachably connected at one end to a preferably dome-like cover 45 as by bolts 46 and at the other end to the upper side of the corresponding beam 29 by means of bolts 47. Tie rods 43 are preferably longitudinally alined along one side of beams 29 and are connected to the beams at a point offset from the longitudinal center line to provide a longitudinal substantially unobstructed portion along the upper surfaces of each of the beams. Cover 45 is removably fixed to the periphery of race plate 25 as by screws 48 and adjacent its lower edge is cut out or recessed as at 49 to receive the inner ends of beams 29 and to provide access openings into the dome for certain of the instrumentalities.

At the outward end of each of the supporting beams 29 are a pair of radially spaced eyelet bolts 51 bolted to the beams 29 and disposed with the eyelets downward. From each pair of eyelet bolts 51 a swing 31 is suspended by supports 53 which may be in the form of chains, ropes or the like. The supports 53 may be attached to the swings 31 by any suitable means as eyelet bolts 55, 56, anchored in the arms of swing 31. A bridle may be formed in the supports 53 with one side of the bridle coupled to the forward eyelet bolt 55 and the other side coupled to the rearward eyelet bolt 56. Studs 57, inwardly extending from the depending sides of the swing 31, furnish a pivot upon which the floor boards 59 are rockably mounted in each of the swings 31, providing a pedal operable by the occupant of the swing in a convenient manner.

Each beam 29 has an elongated cable 61 associated therewith lying along the unobstructed portion of the beams and providing drive coupling between the pedallike floor board and the actuating mechanism described hereinafter. Each of the cables 61 are led through pulleys 63 and 65 which provide a guide means for said wires. Pulleys 63 are mounted on the outside of the inward sides of each of the swings 31 and pulleys 65 are mounted on the top side of the beams 29 substantially in vertical of the cables 61 essentially parallel with supports 53 along a portion of the cables travel and parallel with beams 29 along another portion. One end of each cable 61 is doubled through and the end fastened as by a sleeve 66 to an eye 67 which is rigidly attached preferably to the rearward edge of floor board 59. The other end of each cable 61 is coupled and fastened to its corresponding pawl actuating mechanism as hereinafter described.

Each pawl actuating mechanism consists of a cranklike lever 69 rockably mounted for reciprocation in a substantially horizontal plane parallel to race plate 25 on a pin 71, which is vertically disposed and rigidly at-.

tached to and projects above the inward end of beam 29 within dome 45. Pivot 71 is intermediate the length of lever '69 with the opposite arms of the lever projecting away from the pivot. A tension spring 73 is attached at one end to one arm of lever 69, urging the lever into normal rest position and the other arm of the lever being attached to wire 61 by upstanding book 74-. The other end of spring 73 is attached to a retaining pin 75, rigidly mounted in race plate 25. A pawl 77 is pivotally mounted on an upstanding pin 79, which is rigidly attached to lever 69' at a point inwardly offset from or eccentric to the center of pivot pin 71. A leaf spring 81 is mounted on an upstanding lug 83, which is rigidly mounted to and extends above lever 69, lug 83 being outwardly offset from pivot pin 71. The outer end of pawl 77 is preferably recessed to closely and abuttingly engage lug 83. The face of leaf spring 81 is disposed vertically and bears against pawl 77 inwardly of pin 79, thereby maintaining spring pressure against the pawl normally maintaining pawl and lug engagement and urging reestablishment of such engagement after interruption thereof.

The tongue end of pawl 77 is of a shape that is adapted to engage the teeth of a ratchet Wheel 85, which is attached as by threading to the upper end of shaft 11. A vertical keyway is provided in shaft 11 and in the opposing portion of the threads of ratchet wheel 85, wherein is placed a key 87 for locking the ratchet wheel in place on the shaft 11.

In the operation of the merry-go-round swing one or any of the passengers may depress the floor board 59 in either direction about its pivot, which depression pulls the cable 61, thereby pulling hook 74 outwardly and causing lever 69 to rotate clockwise against the pressure of spring 73. The clockwise rotation of lever 69 causes lug 83 to bear against the rearward end of pawl 77, thereby causing clockwise rotation of said pawl. In rotating clockwise the tongue end of pawl 77 engages the teeth of the stationary ratchet wheel 85, thereby causing the beams 29, race plate 25, swings 31, and other moving parts to rotate clockwise about the shaft 11 and its related structure, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

Upon release by the passenger of the downward pressure on the floor board 59 the tension from spring 73 rotates lever 69 counter-clockwise until the lever rests against upstanding stud 91, which is rigidly mounted to race plate 25. The counter-clockwise rotation of the lever 69 causes a counter-clockwise rotation of the pawl pin 79 about the lever pin 71, thereby carrying the pawl 77 in a direction away from the ratchet wheel 85. This movement permits sufiicient clearance for the pawl 77 to clear the teeth of ratchet wheel 85 and to rotate counterclockwise under the pressure of leaf spring 81. Thus the pawl 77 rotates counter-clockwise until it returns to its rest position shown in Fig. 4. In addition the counterclockwise rotation of the lever 69 pulls the hook 74 with cable 61 inwardly, thereby returning the floor board 59 to its original position ready to be depressed again by the passenger.

By this construction it can clearly be seen that the childs merry-go-round swing may be motivated with foot pressure on the floor boards 59 by any of the passengers or riders acting simultaneously or individually.

Although in the particular embodiment of the invention heretofore described the swings 31 are rotated about the shaft 11 in the clockwise direction as viewed from above, it should be understood that the invention is not a limited to this direction of rotation, but by simple changes in the teeth of the ratchet wheel 85, in the mounting of the pawl 77 and in the lever 69, the swings 31 may be made to rotate about the shaft 11 in a counter-clockwise direction. Also it will be understood that other details of the construction illustrated and described may be altered without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A childs merry-go-round swing comprising an upstanding cylindrical shaft, a supporting plate non-rotatably attached to said shaft, 21 race plate journalled onsaid shaft above said supporting'plate, a plurality'of roller bearings rotatably attached to said supporting plate, said race plate being supported by said roller bearings, a ratchet wheel non-rotatably mounted to said shaft above said race plate; a plurality of supporting and actuating means attached to said race plate, each of said supporting and actuating means comprising a radially extending supporting beam having inner and outer ends, said inner end being rigidly connected to said race plate, a swing suspended from said outer end of said supporting beam, a floor board rockably mounted in said swing, a lever pivotally mounted on said race plate, a spring connected at one end to said lever and at the other end to said race plate, cable means connected at one end to said lever and at the other end to said floor board for actuating said lever responsive .to actuation of said floor boa-d against the tension of said spring, a pawl having an outer and an inner arm, said pawl being pivotally connected intermediate its length to said lever at a point inwardly eccentric with respect to the pivot point of said lever, the inner arm of said pawl being engageable with said ratchet wheel, an upstanding lug rigidly mounted on said lever, said lug abuttable with the outer arm of said pawl, a spring attached at one end to said lever and the other end abutting the inner arm of said pawl for urging said pawl in abutting contact with said lug, actuation of said lever being eflective through abutment of said lug with said outer arm to pivot saild pawl for engagement with said ratchet wheel to effect rotation of said supporting and actuating means about said shaft.

2. A childs merry-go-round swing comprising an upstanding cylindrical shaft, a supporting plate non-rotatably attached to. said shaft, a race plate journalled on said shaft above said supporting plate, a plurality of roller bearings rotatably attached to said supporting plate, said race plate being supported by said roller bearings, a ratchet wheel non-rotatably mounted to said shaft above said race plate, a plurality of supporting and actuating means attached to said race plate; each of said supporting and actuating means comprising a radially extending supporting beam having inner and outer ends, said inner end being rigidly connected to said race plate, a swing suspended from said outer end of said supporting beam, a floor board rockably mounted in said swing, a lever pivotally mounted on said race plate, a spring connected at one end to said lever and at the other end to said race plate, cable means connected at one end to said lever and at the other end to said floor board for actuating said lever responsive to actuation of said floor board against the tension of said spring, a pawl having an outer and an. inner arm, said pawl being pivotally connected intermediate its length to said lever at a point inwardly eccentric with respect to the pivot point of said lever, the inner arm of said pawl being engageable with said ratchet wheel, an upstanding lug rigidly mounted on said lever, said lug abuttable with the outer arm of said pawl, actuation of said lever being elfective through abutment of said lug with said outer arm to pivot said pawl for engagement with said ratchet wheel to efiect rotation of said supporting and actuating means about said shaft.

3. A childs merry-go-round swing comprising an upstanding cylindrical shaft, a supporting plate non-rotatably attached to said shaft, 2. race plate journalled on said shaft above said supporting plate, a plurality of roller bearings rotatably attached to said supporting plate, said race plate being supported by said roller bearings, a ratchet wheel non-rotatably mounted to said shaft above said race plate, a plurality of supporting and actuating means attached to said race plate; each of said supporting and actuating means comprising a radially extending supporting beam having inner and outer ends, said inner end being rigidly connected to said race plate, a swing suspended from said outer end of said supporting beam, at floor board rockably mounted in said swing, said floor board being rockable upwardly and downwardly, a pulley mounted on said swing, a pawl mechanism pivotally mounted on the inner end of said beam, said pawl mechanism engageable with said ratchet wheel, connecting means connected at one end of said pawl mechanism, said connecting means being led through said pulley and being attached at the other end to said floor board for actuating said pawl mechanism responsive to upward and downward actuation of said floor board, actuation of said pawl mechanism being effective to engage said ratchet wheel to efiect rotation of said supporting and actuating means about said shaft.

4. In a childs merry-go-round having a rotating member with a plurality of swings suspended therefrom and rotatable about a shaft, a means for effecting rotation of said rotating member about said shaft comprising a like plurality of actuating means respectively connected to each of said swings; each of said actuating means comprising a fioor board rockably mounted in said swing, a lever pivotally mounted on said rotating member, a spring connected at one end to said lever and at the other end to said rotating member, cable means connected at one end to said lever and at the other end to said floor board for actuating said lever responsive to actuation of said floor board against the tension of said spring, a ratchet wheel non-rotatably mounted to said shaft, a pawl having an outer and an inner arm, said pawl being pivotally connected intermediate its length to said lever at a point inwardly eccentric with respect to the pivot point of said lever, the inner arm of said pawl being engageable with said ratchet wheel, an upstanding lug rigidly mounted on said lever, said lug abuttable with the outer arm of said pawl, a spring attached at one end to said rotating member and the other end engaging the inner arm of said pawl for urging said pawl in abutting contact'with said lug, actuation of said lever being effective through abutment of said lug with said rearward arm to pivot said pawl for engagement with said ratchet wheel to effect rotation of said rotating means about said shaft.

5. A childs merry-go-round swing comprising an upstanding cylindrical shaft, a supporting plate non-rotatably and removably attached to said shaft, a race plate journalled on said shaft above said supporting plate, a plurality of roller bearings rotatably attached to said supporting plate, said race plate being supported by said roller bearings, a dome cover removably fixed to the periphery of said race plate, said dome cover being recessed along its lower edge to provide access openings into said dome for certain of the instrumentalities, a ratchet wheel non-rotatably and removably mounted to said shaft above said race plate, a plurality of supporting and actuating means attached to said race plate; each of said supporting and actuating means comprising a radially extending supporting beam having inner and outer ends, said inner end being rigidly connected to said race plate, a swing suspended from said outer end of said supporting beam, a tie rod detachably connected at one end to said dome and at the other end to said supporting beam, said tie rod being offset from the longitudinal center line of said supporting beam, said supporting beam having a greater width than said tie rod, a floor board rockably mounted in said swing, a lever pivotally mounted on said race plate, a spring connected at one end to said lever and at the other end to said race plate, cable means connected at one end to said lever and at the other end to said floor board for actuating said lever responsive to actuation of said floor board against the tension of said spring, a pawl having an outer and an inner arm, said pawl being pivotally connected intermediate its length to said lever at a point inwardly eccentric with respect to the pivot point of said lever, the inner arm of said pawl being engageable with said ratchet wheel, an upstanding lug rigidly mounted on said lever, said lug abuttable with the outer arm of said pawl, a spring attached at one end to said lever and the other end abutting the inner arm of said pawl for urging said pawl in abutting contact with said lug, actuation of said lever being effective through abutment of said lug with said outer arm to pivot said pawl for engagement with said ratchet whee-l to effect rotation of said supporting and actuating means about said shaft.

6. A childs merry-go-round swing comprising an upstanding cylindrical shaft, a ratchet wheel non-rotatably mounted to said shaft, a rotating member rotatably connected to said shaft, a plurality of supporting and actuating means attached to said rotating member; each of said supporting and actuating means comprising a radially extending supporting beam having inner and outer ends,

said inner end being rigidly connected to said rotating member, a swing suspended from said outer end of said supporting beam, a floor board rockably mounted in said swing, a lever pivotally mounted to said supporting beam adjacent the inner end thereof, spring means connected to said lever for urging pivot of said lever, cable means connected at one end to said lever and at the other end to said fioor board for actuating said lever responsive to actuation of said floor board against the tension of said spring, a pawl having an outer and an inner arm, said pawl being pivotally connected intermediate its length to said lever at a point inwardly eccentric with respect to the pivot point of said lever, the inner arm of said pawl being engageable with said ratchet wheel, an upstanding lug rigidly mounted on said lever, said lug abuttable with the outer arm of said pawl, a spring attached at one end to said supporting means and the other end abutting the inner arm of said pawl for urging said pawl in abutting contact with said lug, actuation of said lever being effective through abutment of said lug with said Outer arm to pivot said pawl for engagement with said ratchet wheel to effect rotation of said supporting and actuating means about said shaft.

7. A childs merry-go-round swing comprising an upstanding cylindrical shaft, a supporting plate non-rotatably attached to said shaft, a race plate journalled on said shaft above said supporting plate, a plurality of roller bearings rotatably attached to said supporting plate, said race plate being supported by said roller bearings, a ratchet wheel non-rotatably mounted to said shaft above said race plate, a plurality of supporting and actuating means attached to said race plate; each of said supporting and actuating means comprising a radially extending supporting beam having inner and outer ends, said inner end being rigidly connected to said race plate, a swing suspended from said outer end of said supporting beam, 2. floor board rockably mounted in said swing, a horizontal lever pivotally mounted on said race plate, a spring connected at one end to said lever and at the other end to said race plate, cable means connected at one end to said lever and at the other end to said floor board for actuating said lever responsive to actuation of said floor board against the tension of said spring, a first pulley mounted on said supporting beam, a second pulley mounted on said swing, said first and second pulleys rollingly contacting said cable for guiding sai'd cable, in proximity to said supporting means, a pawl having an outer and an inner arm, said pawl being pivotally connected intermediate its length to said lever at a point inwardly eccentric with respect to the pivot point of said lever, the inner arm of said pawl'being engageable with said ratchet wheel, an upstanding'lug rigidly mounted on said lever, saidlug abuttable with the outer arm of said pawl, a spring attached at one ,end to'said lever and the other end abutting the inner arm of said pawl for urging said pawl in abutting contact with said lug, actua'tion of said lever being effective through abutment of said lug with said outer arm to pivot saidpawl forengagement with said ratchet wheel to eflect rotation-of said supporting and actuating means about said shaft.

8. In a round aboutswing, an upright standard, a seat supporting structure turnably supported on- .said standard, actuating means carried by said structure comprising lever means horizontally disposed, 'pivot'means connecting said lever means to said structure for rocking reciprocation of said'lever means, pawl meansgpivote'd to said lever means eccentrically of said pivot means and engaged by said lever means under lever means reciprocation, a ratchet wheel fixedto said-standard. and positioned for engagement by saidpawl means under reciprocation of said lever means, said pawl means and ratchet wheel cooperating to effect turning of said structure, cable means connected to said lever means for effecting lever means reciprocation, said structure including radially extending beam means rigidly connected to said structure, a dome-like cover removably connected to said structure and covering said actuatingmeans and said cooperative ratchet wheel, diagonally disposed .tie means spanning between and detachably connectedto said cover and said beam means, said tie means being offset to oneside of the longitudinal axis ofsaid'beam means, said cable means lying along said beam.means and offset to the other side of the longitudinal axis of said beam means.

9. in a roundabout swing, an upright standard, a seat supporting structure turnably supported on said standard, seating means supported from said structure, actuating means carried by said structure, means fixed tosaid standard and positioned for engagement by said' actuating means upon actuation thereof, said actuating means and said fixed means cooperating to efiect'turningofsaid structure, means for effecting actuation of said actuating means, said means for efiecting actuation including a fioorboard rockably mounted in said seating means, said fioorboard being rockable upwardly anddownward1y,-a pulley mounted on said seatingmeans, coupling means connected at one end to said actuating means, said means being led through said pulley and being connected at the other end to said fioorboard for efiecting actuation'of said actuating means responsive to upward and downward rock of said floorbo-ard.

10. A childsmerry-go-round swing comprising an upstanding cylindrical shaft, a supporting plate non-rotatably attached to said shaft, a race plate journalle'd on said shaft above said supporting plate, a plurality of roller bearings rotatably attached to said supporting plate, said raceplate being supported by said roller bearings, a ratchet wheel non-rotatably mounted to said shaft above said race plate, a plurality of supporting and actuating means attached to said race plate, each of said supporting and actuating means comprising a radially extending supporting beam having inner and outer ends, said inner end being rigidly connected to said race plate, a swing suspended'from said outer end of said supporting beam, a lever pivotally mounted on saidrace plate, a spring conected at one end to saidlever and at the other end to said race plate, means connected to saidlcver'for actuating said lever against the tension of said-spring, a pawl having an outer and'inner arm, said pawl being pivotally connected intermediateits length to said lever at a point inwardly eccentric with respect to the pivot point of said lever, the inner arm of said pawl'being cngageable with said ratchet wheel, an upstanding lug rigidly mounted on said lever, said lug abuttable with the outer arm of said pawl, actuation of said lever' being effective through abutment of said lug with said outer arm to pivot said pawl for engagement with said ratchet wheel to effect rotation of said supporting and actuating means about said shaft. 11. A childs merry-go-ro-und comprising an upright standard, a seat supporting structure turnably supported on said standard, actuating means carried by said structure, a ratchet wheel fixed to said standard and positioned for engagement by said actuating means upon actuation thereof; said actuating means including a pivotally mounted lever, a spring connected at one end to said lever and at the other end to said structure, means connected to said levertor the actuation thereof, a pawl having an outer and inner arm, said pawl being pivotally connected intermediate its length to said lever at a point inwardly eccentric with respect to the pivot point of said lever, 'theinner arm of said pawl being engageable with said ratchetwheel, an upstanding lug rigidly mounted on said lever, said lug being abuttable with the outer arm of said pawl, actuation of said lever being effective through abutment of said lug with said outer arm to pivot said pawl for engagement with said ratchet wheel to effect rotation of said supporting and actuating means about said standard.

References Cited in the file of this patent -UNITED STATES PATENTS 982,310 Stewart Ian. 24, 1911 1,289,115 Charlton Dec. 31, 1918 1,447,110 Weaser Feb. 27, 1923 1,463,351 Weaser July 31, 1923 2,189,239 Brewster Feb. 6, 1940 2,560,703 S'ebel July 17, 1951 

